• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.42-59
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• 2017

To investigate rooting and community forming ability, sod strips of Gramineae such as Miscanthus sacchariflorus (Maxim.) Benth., Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens(Andersson) Rendle, Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii(Retz.) Pilg., and Arundinella hirta(Thunb.) Tanaka were planted horizontally at a width of 10~15cm in October 2010 on the bank slope of Kwangju Stream in Korea. Seeds of each species were sown in April 2010 in plastic seedbeds(60cm length ${\times}$ 30cm width ${\times}$ 5cm depth) filled with 4cm of garden soil and grew until October 2010 to form rectangular sod, which then was cut into multiple strips(20cm length ${\times}$ 6cm width ${\times}$ 4cm root depth). Weeds growing on the experiment sites were removed twice a year until those four species had formed a community by 2013. Weeds were not eradicated during 2014 and 2015 to observe whether the community formation can be maintained without weed removal. t-tests on stem numbers and heights in May, July, and September were conducted between 2013 and 2014, and between 2014 and 2015. Stem numbers and heights of the four species in 2014 were significantly decreased(p<0.001) compared with those in 2013 due to weed damage to their growth in 2014. Stem numbers and heights of Miscanthus sacchariflorus(Maxim.) Benth., Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens(Andersson) Rendle, Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii(Retz.) Pilg. in 2015 were similar to those in 2014(p>0.05). Stem numbers and heights of Arundinella hirta(Thunb.) Tanaka in 2015, however, were significantly reduced compared with those in 2014(p<0.001) due to weed impact on its growth. After three years of weed removal, a community of each species was formed. Miscanthus sacchariflorus(Maxim.) Benth., Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens(Andersson) Rendle, Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii(Retz.) Pilg. were able to establish communities without any further weed removal. Arundinella hirta(Thunb.) Tanaka, however, was not able to maintain its community due to considerable damage to its growth caused by weeds even after three years of weed removal. Miscanthus sacchariflorus(Maxim.) Benth., Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens(Andersson) Rendle, Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii(Retz.) Pilg. are more suitable to sod strip plantings on stream bank slopes in terms of the maintenance of community formation without weed eradication. t-test on stem numbers and heights each September during the five year experiment period between sod strip planting and potted plants of the four species were conducted. Stem numbers of strip sod plantings were significantly higher(p<0.001) than those of potted one. Heights of strip sod plantings, however, were significantly lower(p<0.05) than those of the potted samples. Therefore, strip sod planting is more advantageous regarding bank slope erosion protection due to the higher number of stems.